A Matter of Honor (Privateer Tales Book 9) by Jamie McFarlane Page A
Authors: Jamie McFarlane
Tags: Science-Fiction, Space Opera, Military, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Exploration, Space Exploration, Space Fleet, Space Marine
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mule right now." Amon pointed at a pair of headlights bouncing off a nearby building.
"But, it's only 0630. They said they weren't starting on the gates until 0700." Merrie's voice rose.
"Don't sweat it. It'll take us at least two hours to set the straps in the wall and another hour to bolt the hinges onto the door. I'll go slowly. They're always accusing me of it anyway," Amon said, looking at the sooty face of his evening's companion.
"Don't get in trouble for me."
"We're in this together, Merrie. You've made a believer out of me and I want to see what I can make from your steel. I want to try to make a real sword, not just daggers."
"You mean it?"
"From what you've shown me, the only skills I'm missing are folding and tempering. Otherwise, swords are just like making long, thin iron daggers." Amon stood and offered his hand.
Merrie brushed off her pants as Nurit and Merik pulled to a stop in the smithy's vehicle. In the cart behind the mule lay the unassembled hinges for the city's main gate.
"How'd it go last night?" Merik asked, hopping out, handing Merrie a steaming cup of coffee.
Merrie gratefully accepted the cup with a broad smile. "It's taking longer than planned. But we loaded the last of the material into the furnace twenty minutes ago."
"I reviewed your bench notes last night. Up 'till that point I thought you were constructing an electric arc-furnace," Merik said.
"I want to, but without use of the maker-machine, an arc-furnace isn't practical. I'm hoping Master Nurit and Amon will be able to demonstrate the value of this steel and the council will give me the go-ahead." Merrie looked nervously from Merik to Nurit.
Merik turned to Nurit, who'd climbed out of the cart and was crouched, inspecting the furnace's oxygen inlet. "Nurit, how about it? Are you interested in working with Merrie's steel?"
"We've had good success with our iron and it may be too late to teach this old bird any new tricks," Nurit answered. "Amon's got the energy for this though, and he's his own man."
"Amon?" Merik asked.
"I believe our settlement is at risk, Master Merik," Amon answered. "We've too long relied on our founder's technology. If we are to survive, we must develop our own. I hope Merrie's steel is just the beginning."
Merik cocked his head and smiled at Nurit. "He sounds so much like his father."
"Yes he does. Now, I hate to break up the conversation, but we have crews meeting us at the front gates," Nurit said, climbing back into the driver's seat of the vehicle.
"Are you able to leave, Merrie?" Merik asked.
"The furnace will finish in ninety minutes. It would be ideal if I stayed and monitored the smelt," she answered.
"Understood. Perhaps we'll spend time discussing project planning in our next session," he said.
"My apologies, Master. The project exceeded my time estimates by a significant margin."
"And, so it is with most projects."
Amon climbed into the mule behind Merik and gave a friendly wave to Merrie as they pulled away. The trio rode quietly through the abandoned section of the settlement, the empty buildings a stark reminder of their losing battle with the Ophie.
At the front gates, they found the master stone mason and his crew driving wide iron wedges into the seam at the base of the wall, lifting the wall just enough to make room for the hinge straps.
"Master Pessach, good to see you this fine morning," Merik called, jumping from the cart, extending his hand to the older mason.
"About time you showed up. We've no time to be standing around, Merik. The smith's failed gates allowed those lizard devils to tear down half my city," Pessach growled.
"Very well. We'll start at the bottom and work up."
"Would you also instruct me on the consistency of my mortar? No? Good! I'll let you know when I need your help," Pessach said and turned to the group of laborers he'd brought along, continuing barking instructions.
"Let's get started, Amon," Nurit said, ignoring the grumpy mason.
Together they
"But, it's only 0630. They said they weren't starting on the gates until 0700." Merrie's voice rose.
"Don't sweat it. It'll take us at least two hours to set the straps in the wall and another hour to bolt the hinges onto the door. I'll go slowly. They're always accusing me of it anyway," Amon said, looking at the sooty face of his evening's companion.
"Don't get in trouble for me."
"We're in this together, Merrie. You've made a believer out of me and I want to see what I can make from your steel. I want to try to make a real sword, not just daggers."
"You mean it?"
"From what you've shown me, the only skills I'm missing are folding and tempering. Otherwise, swords are just like making long, thin iron daggers." Amon stood and offered his hand.
Merrie brushed off her pants as Nurit and Merik pulled to a stop in the smithy's vehicle. In the cart behind the mule lay the unassembled hinges for the city's main gate.
"How'd it go last night?" Merik asked, hopping out, handing Merrie a steaming cup of coffee.
Merrie gratefully accepted the cup with a broad smile. "It's taking longer than planned. But we loaded the last of the material into the furnace twenty minutes ago."
"I reviewed your bench notes last night. Up 'till that point I thought you were constructing an electric arc-furnace," Merik said.
"I want to, but without use of the maker-machine, an arc-furnace isn't practical. I'm hoping Master Nurit and Amon will be able to demonstrate the value of this steel and the council will give me the go-ahead." Merrie looked nervously from Merik to Nurit.
Merik turned to Nurit, who'd climbed out of the cart and was crouched, inspecting the furnace's oxygen inlet. "Nurit, how about it? Are you interested in working with Merrie's steel?"
"We've had good success with our iron and it may be too late to teach this old bird any new tricks," Nurit answered. "Amon's got the energy for this though, and he's his own man."
"Amon?" Merik asked.
"I believe our settlement is at risk, Master Merik," Amon answered. "We've too long relied on our founder's technology. If we are to survive, we must develop our own. I hope Merrie's steel is just the beginning."
Merik cocked his head and smiled at Nurit. "He sounds so much like his father."
"Yes he does. Now, I hate to break up the conversation, but we have crews meeting us at the front gates," Nurit said, climbing back into the driver's seat of the vehicle.
"Are you able to leave, Merrie?" Merik asked.
"The furnace will finish in ninety minutes. It would be ideal if I stayed and monitored the smelt," she answered.
"Understood. Perhaps we'll spend time discussing project planning in our next session," he said.
"My apologies, Master. The project exceeded my time estimates by a significant margin."
"And, so it is with most projects."
Amon climbed into the mule behind Merik and gave a friendly wave to Merrie as they pulled away. The trio rode quietly through the abandoned section of the settlement, the empty buildings a stark reminder of their losing battle with the Ophie.
At the front gates, they found the master stone mason and his crew driving wide iron wedges into the seam at the base of the wall, lifting the wall just enough to make room for the hinge straps.
"Master Pessach, good to see you this fine morning," Merik called, jumping from the cart, extending his hand to the older mason.
"About time you showed up. We've no time to be standing around, Merik. The smith's failed gates allowed those lizard devils to tear down half my city," Pessach growled.
"Very well. We'll start at the bottom and work up."
"Would you also instruct me on the consistency of my mortar? No? Good! I'll let you know when I need your help," Pessach said and turned to the group of laborers he'd brought along, continuing barking instructions.
"Let's get started, Amon," Nurit said, ignoring the grumpy mason.
Together they
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